


Robots Don't Float

by Megidork



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Adding tags as I go along, F/F, Humanstuck, Robotics, Swimming, Woo an entire fanfic based around arafef, class seperations, i actually get to write from my headcanons this time, lol i have no idea whats going on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-19
Updated: 2015-12-06
Packaged: 2018-05-02 09:34:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5243372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megidork/pseuds/Megidork
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Once again the Robotics team has not managed to scrape up enough money to go to finals. But who's to say they can't go to the swim meet? Can swim team captain Feferi Peixes come out of her protective little rich bubble? Does Robotics team member Aradia Megido ever make it to finals? Can either of them expand their minds to encompass what the other's life is like? WILL DAMARA EVER GET TO COLLEGE?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. What Harm Could I Cause?

**Author's Note:**

> I know I should be writing all my other stuff, but as of now, the fanfics are on an INDEFINITE HIATUS. So I'm jut gonna slap a fanfic about my secondary otp out here (Rosemary is the first) Hope you enjoy it, and my overuse of cliches.

Another year. Another letdown. I sat with the other members of my team in a defeated heap around our robot. I was a member of the robotics club, and once again we had not raised enough money to travel to finals. Every year we had countless advertisements and fundraisers to try and raise money for our ultimate goal. Not once had we reached it.

A girl named Roxy sat next to me, tears threatening to stream from her eyes. “We were so close this year.” She whispered, looking down at the floor. “Ro-Lal, it’s fine, we’ll try again next year.” A guy named Dirk said, trying to console Roxy. His hair swept back into a point behind his anime shades. Roxy’s hair was dyed a vibrant pink, contrasting with her tanned skin.

On my other side were two guys named Equius and Sollux. Equius was large and strong looking, while Sollux stood out with his twig like body. We were a bit of a ragtag bunch. Roxy and Sollux programmed the robots, the drunk and the nerd. For it was no secret their obsessions, Roxy had a liking for booze and Sollux for coding and gaming.

Equius and Dirk built the robots. Dirk designed them mostly and Equius was the one who took the crudely sketched blueprints and turned them into tough metal contraptions. Dirk was involved with the more detailed, aesthetic pieces while Equius made sure the robot didn’t get blown smithereens.

I was a bit of an oddball, I didn’t know a lick about programming, and I was too clumsy with a hammer to be considered safe, so I had the special job. I was the driver. Most teams we knew alternated drivers to make it fair and give everyone an equal turn. My team was a bit different, we had tried that once, it didn’t work so well with everyone.

Equius had underestimated his strength and was repeatedly breaking the controls, so used to working with tough pieces of metal. Roxy was so uncoordinated the robot spent more time bumping into walls than it did completing tasks. Sollux downright refused to try driving, preferring to stick to his programming. Dirk tried once, but he tried to make another robot to do the driving for him and then nobody let him drive again.

I was drafted out of nowhere, and only because I knew Sollux. We had been childhood friends, and apparently I had been hired because of my ultimate skill driving rc cars when Sollux and I had raced them. I was perfect for the job, so I stayed.

So we five formed the most forgotten club in school. The most we did was bring out a t-shirt shooter at pep rallies. “What are we going to do?” Roxy moaned, blinking to try and keep her tears back. “I don’t know.” I answered quietly, leaning back against this year’s robot. We were all set to go to finals, we were qualified in everything except the financial category, we didn’t have enough money to transport the team, let alone the robot to the site of the finals.

In the middle of our moping, the bell rang for school to begin, for we had all arrived there before the school had officially opened for our meeting. We scrambled for our things and went off to start off the school day with heavy hearts.

I reached my first hour a bit early, sliding into a seat and plopping my bag unceremoniously beside me. Kids started to filter in, most walked in to drop off their things, and then quickly left to mingle with their friends. I was alone in the room, absentmindedly twiddling my thumbs. After a little bit, a girl hopped into the room.

Her skin was the darkest I had ever seen, and her hair was on that fine line between black and brown. It lay in massive fluffy curls, clouding around her head. She was dressed in as much neon as she could, and they stood out boldly against the darkness of her skin.

She bounded over to me, standing over my desk. “Hey, it’s Aradia, right?” She questioned, earning a disinterested nod. “I’m Feferi, I sit right up in the front. I was wondering if you consider attending the swim meet this weekend, its state finals and the team needs all the support we can get!” She piped, waving a colorful flyer in my face.

I looked at the dates, if the team had managed to scrape together money for the travel, this would be the same days as the Robotics state finals. But we had not, so I had planned a weekend of moping and seclusion. “I guess, I’m free?” I said uncertainly, looking up at her beaming face. “So come to the meet! It’s really great!” She said, bouncing with giddiness. She then skipped away, probably to hand out more flyers.

To be honest, the girl was way too peppy for my tastes, but for some reason, I slid my flyer into my bag, instead of crinkling it up and shooting it into the wastebasket sitting nearby. Students flooded in as the minute bell rang, sliding in before the teacher could classify them as tardy.

The teacher sauntered in a few minutes after the bell rang, as usual. Then took a boring round of attendance, shushed the class all through announcements, and reprimanded Feferi for bouncing in her seat a bit too much. The class droned on, slowly starting to wake me up for the day ahead, as well as making me progressively more bored.

Luckily, there was no homework so I got to dash out of class with the rest of my classmates when the bell rang. The day continued the same as it always did, but the flyer taunted me every time I opened my bag. I never planned on going; I just took it to get her out of my face. The bright colors of the flyer tripled my guilt every time I caught sight of the flyer.

The silent torment continued on the bus. Crammed up against the window on the rowdy, dirty bus, I held the flyer, now crumpled, on my lap. I kept thinking of it, and had finally surrendered to actually looking at it. Who knew such a small slip of paper could have such control over my life.

It was written in bold letters “COME SUPPORT THE SWIM TEAM AT STATE FINALS” complete with sketched pictures of swim team members, a time, and a place. It then struck me that Feferi had hand drawn these, and then probably spent a long making as many copies as she could. I barely noticed the bus had reached my house, and found myself scrambling to leave the crowded seats of the bus before the doors closed.

If I had to be honest, my house wasn’t very memorable. It was small, a simple door, the wood paneling was peeling paint, and the porch was broken in multiple places. If I had to say it, I would admit my family was a bit more on the poor side. My family could barely afford to send me to school, let alone send my older sister Damara to college she so desperately wanted to attend.

She wanted to major in language, travel the world, make money to send back home to the family. But none of that would ever happen if we never actually scrounged up the money to send Damara off to college. The most we could hope for was a scholarship, without that there was no way my mother could afford a college education for Damara.

To be frank, she was kind of pissed about it. She understood that we couldn’t afford it, but she still thought like she was missing out on something. At least that’s what she said when she confided in me late at night in our shared room.

I pushed the door open, stepping into my house. Even though it was rickety and run down, it was still home. I loved it, I knew where all the creaks and cracks were, and that familiar scent that didn’t smell like anything, just home, was just comforting.

What an eventful Friday, I had once again not gone to robotics team state finals, and at the same got invited to the state finals of the swim team. I had nothing better to do, I guess I’m going to a swim meet tomorrow.

Usually on this weekend I holed up in my room, sometimes with Damara, sometimes without. Either way, I spent a good forty eight hours wallowing in my own sadness. I was always plagued by dreams of going to state finals, of winning. I tossed and turned, no matter what happened at finals in those dreams, they were always happy, for I was actually AT finals.

One dream had our robot explode in fiery bits and pieces of defeat. In another I held the trophy and the prize money. In the same dream I would see Damara leaving for college, both of us achieving our dreams.

My bag lay in a pile by the door to my room, and I collapsed onto my bed, the swim team finals flyer clutched in my hands. I contemplated ripping it into tiny scraps, how dare they ask me to cheer for them when I could have had much more important things to do? I then consoled myself that they didn’t know my struggles; it was a harmless piece of paper looking for support.

Damara pushed open the door, slumping against the wall. Her fast food employee outfit was stained and wrinkled, but she still found the energy to talk. “Whatcha got there?” She asked, gesturing lazily to the flyer. “Swim team flyer, apparently state finals are this weekend for them.” I explained, forking over the flyer.

“Isn’t that robotics finals?” She asked, scanning the paper. “Didn’t get the money, again.” I said, dejected. She simply nodded, reading silently for a minute before handing the flyer back to me. “I was actually going to the swim meet.” She confessed. “Why?” I asked, interested in her reasons to be there.

“Got a job at the concession stand.” She admitted. Now it was my turn to nod. “You wanna come with, you can watch the meet?” She offered. I nodded once more, what harm could a simple swim meet cause?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this took so long! My computer was crashing and I didn't have that much time to write. AND this came out a bit shorter than I wanted to to.

My fingers jabbed furiously at the controls, desperate to win. Sweat dripped down my brow in my deep concentration. Our robot raced around the arena, speeding around to complete tasks. My team cheered me on from the sidelines, each syllable of encouragement elevating my determination to achieve victory.

Finals were wonderful, so many nice teams, but also new enemies. The ride here was uneventful, after piling into Equius’ van; it was a long ride to finals. We had earned the money from a mysterious donor, who seemed more than eager to give us more than enough money.

The day consisted of grins and smiles, even from the grumpiest members of the team. We were advancing up the ranks fast. The robot was absolutely dominating. The gears turned and the wheels spun like clockwork. The robot performed better than it ever had before, it was almost ethereal watching it glide.

The robot completed tasks faster than any others. We received so much praise on the programming and build of the robot, we were drowning in accolades. I received many compliments on my driving, to which I assured everyone I was basically button mashing. Nonetheless, the furious driving was what brought us to the top.

A few last minute fix ups were in place before the final event. I stood by the side, watching the rest of the team bicker and fiddle with the robot, preparing it for its last presentation of skill. I was repeatedly cracking my knuckles in anticipation.

Okay, I was wringing my hands in nervousness. I was scared shitless, this was the most important trial at finals. There was still room for human error. The finals had been going so well and this; this is where I broke down, right before the big show.

“You ready AA?” Sollux asked, coming up next to me. The rest of the team soon followed, insuring my win and asking if I’m okay, which I answer with a plethora of assurances that I was fine. The team moves the robot to the arena for the last event.

My sweaty hands grip the controller tightly. When the bell rings, I’m off, jamming buttons in an effort to make the robot move faster. There, there! Yes! We’re pulling ahead of the other team. It’s in the home stretch, our robot just needs to complete this one last task and we will win.

Win the fame, the glory, the bragging rights, and somewhat the most important thing, the prize money. My fingers clumsily hit the last buttons. Right there! 3…2……..

“ARADIA,VAKNA!” Damara screeched in my ear, her long nails digging into my shoulder. I sat up, “What?” I asked sleepily, not understanding the word. “Vakna! Wake up! It’s Swedish.” Damara answered. She was prone to doing this, randomly switching between all the languages she knew.

A couple of nights ago she yelled at me to do my homework for an hour, all in Japanese. Damara clapped, snapped, and shooed me around the house, encouraging me to move faster in a variety of different languages. In record time I was ready to go, I guessed my punishment for oversleeping was that I was having to eat a granola bar in the car for lack of time to make real breakfast.

Damara could be classified as the either the ultimate safe driver or the most scared driver ever. But the truth was that we both knew that our family could not afford to make any repairs to the car if it was damaged, much less buy another one. So everyone drove the old car, impossibly safely, we had received quite a few honks on the Megido style of driving.

Damara pulled carefully into a faded parking spot in the school parking spot. She swung the door out easily and stepped out; straightening the outfit she wore, like she needed a uniform for working a concession stand.

We walked together to the sidewalk and almost as soon as Damara’s shoe touched the paved walkway, she gasped and sprinted off across the sidewalk. I stood there awkwardly; watch as she skidded to a stop next to a girl with two long braids cascading down her back. I made the decision to run up to them to catch up.

I heard parts of their conversation as I caught up. “Oh hey gill.” The girl Damara said. “Meenah! How’s it goin?” Damara asked. “Nuffin much, just here to sea my this little gill win fin-als.” She asked, gesturing to someone standing next to her. I neared Damara, and got a view of who Meenah was pointing too.

It was Feferi. She wore a jacket and pants emblazoned with our school mascot and colors, her hair was tightly wound, I presumed for more ease when it came time to stuff it into a swim cap. Apparently she saw me as well, for she pushed her way between Damara and Meenah to run and basically jump on top of me.

“You’re here!” She screeched, wrapping her arms around me. “Fef, how many times have I told you not to traumatize people?” Meenah reprimanded, and Feferi extracted herself off my body. “Sorry! Im just so excited Aradia’s here!” Feferi squealed, and then dropped her smile. “As far as I know, you’re the only person who I gave a flyer to who showed up.” She mumbled.

I didn’t know what to say, I just stood there dumbly, staring at her. “It’s still early, Fef.” Meenah said, concluding her conversation with Damara. Then she looked at me “Hey gill, why don tcha sit by me for the meet, since Damara is workin the conch-sessions stand.” She offered, to which I nodded.

“Meenah! We gotta go go go! Warm-ups starting soon!” Feferi crowed, jumping up and down until she could drag Meenah into the building. Damara crossed her arms and walked pointedly towards the building, me trailing behind. Damara pushed open the glass doors to the building, letting them swing back behind her, not bothering to hold them open for me.

She led me to the doors to the bleachers and said “Wait for Meenah, she knows what she’s doing, she’s just giving her sister a pep talk.” She then promptly spun on her heel and marched off to the concession stand. I watched her greet a few people in the window, then open the door and enter the kitchen herself.

I leaned against a post, sandwiched by a drinking fountain with gum in it and a trash can. “Hey, gill!” Meenah said, seeming to appear out of nowhere. Even in the darkness, I could see her shocking resemblance to Feferi.

They both had impossibly dark skin, curly hair, from what I could see from what hung out of Meenah’s braids. They both had a stockier build, and a taste for pink. “Let’s go before all the good seats are shoalen.” She said. I finally acknowledged the fish pun use that had been painfully added to the conversation ever since she started talking.

She turned and shoved her way onto the bleachers, expecting me to follow. After a few seconds, I did. I darted through the crowd, dodging concerned parents decked in team colors and whiny siblings of the swimmers. I found Meenah, after she stood up in her seat and yelled at me. I took my seat next to her, and stared down at the pool, watching the competitors mill around the water.


End file.
